Mash-tub mechanism



(No Model J. H. EIGKERSHOFF.

MASH TUB MECHANISM. No. 413,041. Patented Oct. 1-5, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J OHN H. EIOKERSIIOFF, Oh CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN MENTS, TO MATTHEV GOTTFRIED, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MASH-TUB MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 413,041, dated October 15, 1889..

Application filed November 21,1887.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN H. EICKERSHOFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, have invented 5 new and useful Improvements in Mash-Tub Mechanism, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to mechanism used in connection with the mash-tub in distillerr ies,breweries, &c. and it consists, first, of stirring and discharging mechanism adapted to be elevated and depressed at will relatively to the mass of grain to be treated, and capable of operating at any elevation or at a c0n- 1 5 stantly-changing elevation Within its fixed limits, and, secondly, in the details of construction and arrangement by which these results are accomplished.

Mechanism embodying my invention is we hibited in the accompanying drawings, in

which Figure 1 is a general sectional elevation of the mash-tub containing the mashing and discharging mechanism, parts of the mechanism being also sectioned to show the construction;

and Fig. 2, a detail plan of part of the mechanism, showing the arrangement of the adjustable blades employed in mashing and discharging.

Referring now to the drawings, A designates an ordinary mash tub cylindrical in form, provided with perforated screen a, constituting a false bottom for drainage purposes B, p a perforated pedestal or block centrallylocated upon and secured to the bottom, and O the discharge-conduit opening through the bottom at one side near the outer wall of the tub, and ordinarily closed by a disk-valve c,

which, upon occasion, is lifted from its seat by a hook-rod from above. The tub is ordinarily located upon the floor-supports of the building, as indicated bythe sectioned I-beams of the drawings, which do not require a special reference-letter. I

Carried upon the pedestahblock B is a vertically-perforated spindle D, which, with its radial arms d d, is preferably formed of castiron, its axial perforation being squared to receive the squared upper portion of a central vertical driving-shaft S, which is carried through a fixed journal-block. 'y at its upper Serial No. 255,725. (No model.)

end, and is stepped into a fixed journal and supportingblock y at its lower end, the lower part of said shaft being cylindrical to a point just above the pedestal-block B, through which it passes. The shaft S is thus extended from a bearing at a convenient distance above the mash-tub A to a support at a convenient distance below the bottom of the tub, and is driven by a suitable gearing a: .r' from a counter-shaft a at or near its lower extremity. A suitable stuffing-box 3 is arranged to embrace the shaft S at the point of vertical emergence from the pedestal-block B and preventileakage through the orifice at that point.

Immediately upon the pedestal-block B, and intervening between it and the bottom of the spindle D, is a bevel-gearb, suitably recessed at its upper side to form. a seat for the spindle D, which is held in place by an annular collar Z), covering. a projecting flange of the spindle. This connection also causes the gear I) to be elevated by the spindle when the latter is elevated, for reasons to be presently explained. The gear I) is provided with one or more depending guide-rods T, which are rigidly secured to the gear I) and pass vertically downward through suitable perforations in the pedestal-block, having also suitable stuffing-boxes z to prevent leakage. The rods 7' serve as pins or stops to prevent rotation of the gear I) at any elevation, yet permit free elevation and depression.

The rotating stirrers, as indicated at f f f f", are crank-arms carried upon and by a horizontal shaft f, journaled at one end in a suitable lateral socket upon the spindle D and supported near its outer end byabracket-arm 01 depending from the main arm cl of the spindle. The stirrers are of the usual or any desired construction and need not be further described. They are operated by the rotation of their carrying-shaft f by means of a bevel-pinion f secured thereto and meshing with the relatively-fixed bevel-gear I). As the spindle D rotates in its horizontal plane, carrying the arm cl and the shaft f with it, the pinion f is carried upon the relatively-fixed gear b, causing the rotation in a vertical plane of the shaft f and the stirrers.

The general rotation of the spindle D is ef- TOO fected by means of the squared portionof the shaft S engaging in the squared aperture of the spindle, and by the prolongation of the squared shaft S upward such rotation continues at any elevation of the spindle and its connected parts. The opposite arm d of the spindle carries journaled through the same a number of Vertical shafts e, in series successively outward from the spindle D. These shafts pass through a fixed holding-brace g,

parallel with and below the arm cl, extending from the spindle through a bracket-arm d similar in form and relative arrangement to the bracket-arm d supporting the shaft f, as already described, and are terminated below by flat blades e, which, in the general action of the spindle,sjweep ,in circular concentric paths horizontally. The terminals of the shafts e, projectin'g above'the' arm (1, are provided with corresponding cranks 6 all connectedby a onnec ing-roam a common sett my tlj re at r r ml Of the blades to their. circular paths may be adjusted and secured at any desired inclination by arak-b'ar e In practice, however, Iprefer; to lea've the outer blade 6' unconnected with; the adjusting mechanism and fixed in position, owing to the location of the dischargeori'ii'ce somewhatwithin the circular boundary of the tub, so that it may always" act centripetally upon the mass of grain, while the he syact c fl ug r a it It remains now to describe the elevating mechanism". The upper end of the'spindle D is grooved cireumferentially to carry an ann'ujl'ar supporting-yoke h, In my practice I diminish friction at the upper surface of the yoke by an annular groove with steel frictionbaflls, as indicated; but as this is a mechanical detail having no direct bearing upon the invention; I do notdesign'ate them by letters or make further reference to them. I By means of suitable projecting ears the yokeh is conn'ccted through hangers j j with a similar yoked," threaded upon a screw-shaft 5, arranged in the extended axis of the shaft S, b utwholly independent of it. The screwshaft 8 is journaled above in a suitable sup porting-bracket wand below in the bearing y of the shaft S, and carries a bevel-gear Z0, receiving power through a pinionl from a counter-shaftm. Ihave shown in the present casetwo chain or belt wheels 0 and n, of different diameters, indicating different speeds at which the shaft m may be driven in its opposite revolutions. Both. these wheels run idly upon the shaft m, which is connected with one o'r the otherdriving-wheels by a shifting clutch p, carried upon the shaft by a pin-and-feather connection, and shifted into a 01 t is ot e nss m nthy a p bell crank arm q. The bell-crank is operated automatically to stop the rotation of the screws when the proper elevation or depression of the apparatus is attained by the following mechanism: To the screw-yoke 'iis attached .a vertical rod or standard 25, carried .t-h'e wheel' o or n, as the case may be.

up and down with it and passing through or adjacent to the horizontal arm q of the bellcrank shifter q. Stops t andt upon this rod engage the arm q in either direction and withdraw the clutch p from engagement with This, however, is a mere safety device to prevent the machine overrunning beyond its proper limit in either direction.

The operation is as follows: When the parts are in the positions indicated in the drawings and the central shaft S rotated by its gearconnections below, the spindle D is rotated with it and the arms d .d sweep around, carrying their depending mechanism. The rotating stirrers f f' &c.,perform their usual and proper functions, and the blades ef may beset to coincide l'ineally as'nearl'y as desired with their paths of movement, At the conclusion, of the mashing o eration the rotation of vshaft Sis-stopped and power is applied by the shaft m and gears'l k tothe screw 3, which, acting through the yokes 'i h and suspendin -ro s j, lifts the spindle D, its arms 01 d, andtheir connected parts, including the bevel-gearb, (which at any elevation is new against rotation by its rod or rods 7 upward wholly clear of the tub contents. After draining off the liquid contents the valve 0 (which opens through the false bot: tom a is removed, and the body of moist grainimmediately over it passes downward,

leaving an approximately funnel {shaped opening through the b'o'dyof grain, which otherwise remains as a semi-coherent mass somewhat compacted. The shaft S is now again started in operation, the spindleD and arms d swinging around, as before, butabove and clear of the grain contents of the tub. At the same time power is applied to the screw .9, which thus slowly carries the spindle and connected mechanism downward by gradual movement; The blades c,'being set at an angle across their concentric paths, soon begin to act at the surface of the grain, carrying itgradually outward from the center to the circumference until it finds egress atthe opening described. Thus layer by layer the grain is discharged into the opening-as the mechanism descends until all is discharged, and the blades having reached their lowest limit further descent is automatically arrested by the stops 2?, as described,

when the tub may be refilled for another op eration. V l I t i It will be observed that as the spindle rises and falls the bevel-gear?) rises and falls with it without rotation, andalways preserves its proper relation to the pinion f v I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States the followingz v 1. In a, mash-tub, the combination of acentral vertical driving-shaft, a horizontal arm centrally pivoted thereon and carried thereby, but free to be moved vertically on the driving-shaft, stirrers or boaters carried upon said horizontal arm and operated by the r0 tation of the driving-shaft, and means for automatically raising or lowering said horizontal arm While in rotation and automatically stopping said raising and lowering at predetermined limits, substantially as described.

2. In a mash-tub, the combination, With a central spindle D, having stirrers and scrapers suitably supported thereon, and means for raising and lowering said spindle, of the bevel-gear b, loosely supported by said spindle and meshing with the gearing f, for rotating shaft f, said bevel-gear and gearing so adapted as to be raised and lowered with the spindle D and remain in mesh, substantially as described;

3. In a mash-tub, the combination, with a central spindle D, having stirrers and scrapers suitably supported thereon and carrying the yoke h, and a shaft S, adapted to rotate said spindle, of a screw-shaft 15, mounted upon shaft S, but rotatable independently thereof,

and the screw-yoke z, engaging with said screw-shaft s, and connections between said screw-yoke i and yoke h, for raising and lowering the spindle l), substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN H. EICKERSHOFF.

WVitnesses:

WM. LITTLEFORD, CHESTER W. MERRILL. 

